I could eat bean burritos every day, and often times I do! There isn’t a meal that’s much better than this: loaded with beans, a rainbow of veggies, with an incredible amount of antioxidants, vitamins, omega-3s – all the good stuff! These Black Bean Burritos with Rainbow Veggies whip up in 20-minutes, are hearty, healthy and so delicious!
While having a love affair with a bean burrito the other day, I was recalling the burritos of yore. Growing up we always made ground beef burritos, pouring out the excess fat into a tin can. As an adult, I continued to make burritos this very same way for many years. This was taco night and I didn’t realize it could be any different. I remember while eating these burritos grease would drip out from the back end of the tortilla onto my plate, leaving a shimmering puddle. The tail end of the tortilla would be saturated and sometimes I’d use that piece to mop up some of that puddle, licking my oily fingers at the end.
Taste preferences change and now I can’t even fathom eating something like that. The fat in the tin can hardens at room temperature because it’s saturated fat and it’s also doing that inside your body, in your arteries. I didn’t know because it was what I grew up seeing, and in that way – it was in my jeans.
Are canned beans less nutritious?
Nope! Don’t feel guilty for being lazy or forgetting to soak beans, you’ll get all the bean benefits from popping open a can! Home-cooked beans are more flavorful, but none of the nutrients are lost during the canning process. Just make sure to rinse them before cooking.
Beans, beans, the magical fruit. . .
Beans are one of my favorite foods! I’m not kidding when I say that I crave black beans like I used to crave french fries and that swap has transformed how I look and feel every day!
Beans are very high in protein (15 grams per 1 cup cooked beans!), folate, phosphorous, potassium, magnesium, iron, calcium, as well as zinc, copper, manganese, selenium, vitamin B1 and B12, vitamin E, and vitamin K.
Low in fat and calories, beans have contributed to weight loss and since they are high in fiber they keep you feeling full longer. I can attest to this; sometimes I stuff myself silly with black bean and veggie burritos and stay slender. When I’ve worked as a server, I’d eat burritos before going on shift even if it was 9:30 in the morning because it kept me full throughout the entire shift! Often times I get back home and I’m making burritos for dinner again. The combination of beans and veggies makes me feel so good, it’s why I keep going back for more!
Beans and other legumes lower your LDL (bad) cholesterol while raising your HDL (good) cholesterol, resulting in lower blood pressure, inflammation, and reducing your risk to heart disease.1
There is strong evidence that eating beans and plant based foods can protect you against not only diabetes and obesity, but also cancer!
The American Institute for Cancer Research published a detailed analysis of diet and cancer, which was reviewed by 21 of the top cancer researchers. One of the recommendations for cancer prevention is to eat whole grains and/or legumes (beans, lentils, chickpeas, etc) with every meal!2,3
20-Minute Black Bean Burritos with Rainbow Veggies
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
These Black Bean Burritos with Rainbow Veggies whip up in 20-minutes, are hearty, healthy and so delicious!
Ingredients
- 1 29–oz can black beans, drained and rinsed (or 3 cups fresh cooked black beans)
- 1/2 of a yellow onion, chopped
- 5 small cloves garlic, minced (or sub 1/2 tsp garlic powder)
- 1/2 of a jalapeño, mostly deseeded and minced
- 1/4 cup broccoli, chopped (or sub zucchini)
Spices
- 2 tsp cumin
- 2 tsp chili powder
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp rosemary
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1/4–1/2 tsp salt (to taste)
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
For Serving
- Tortillas
- Lettuce, thinly sliced
- Tomatoes, chopped
- Red cabbage, roughly chopped
- Avocado, sliced or mashed
- Onion, finely chopped
- Cilantro, finely chopped
- Lime or lime juice
- vegan sour cream or vegan aioli
Instructions
- In medium-sized pot with lid, sauté onions in a drizzle of oil or water on medium heat until softened. Stir in garlic, jalapeño, and broccoli and cover with a lid and cook for several minutes.
- Stir in black beans and everything under “Spices”. When beans start to bubble, reduce heat to low.
- Meanwhile, prep all veggies used for serving.
- Heat tortillas one at a time on a skillet on medium heat until they begin to golden, flipping halfway through. Spoon beans into tortilla and fill with all the rainbow veggies; topping with a squeeze of lime and an optional dollop of vegan sour cream or aioli. Enjoy!
Notes
After eating, remember to refrigerate leftover beans right away! Beans (and rice) are very prone to bacteria that causes food-borne illness if left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
Beans keep in a well-sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: wraps
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: Mexican
Did you love these burritos? Leave me a comment below! 🙂
